A Package from Gran
by SirNotAppearingInThisFilm
Summary: Extremely late Christmas story. While Spinelli is grieving the loss of Georgie, comfort comes in the most unexpected form. Namely, a small package from Tennessee. JaSpin nonslash one-shot.


A knock sounded through Jason's apartment. Spinelli glanced at the door, then shut his laptop and moved to open it. Instead of it being the Blonde One or anyone he had been expecting, a burly man in a UPS uniform stood in the doorway, holding a box.

"Package for a Mr. Spinelli?" he said in a business-like tone. Spinelli blinked.

"A package for... for the Jackal?" he stammered, caught off-guard. The UPS man just gave him a strange look. He shook his head. "N-nevermind," he said, taking the box from him.

"Have a Merry Christmas." The man said as he walked away. Spinelli gave a start of surprise, realizing it was three days until Christmas. With his mind on Georgie's death, he'd nearly forgotten all about the holidays.

GHGHGHGHGHGH

When Jason entered his penthouse, he was greeted by silence. There was no rapid 'fondest salutations, Stone Cold!' that usually accompanied the sound of the door snapping closed. The usual chatter had been silenced for nearly a week. Jason was surprised to find that he missed his roommate's ever-present cheerfulness.

Spinelli was slumped on the couch staring at an unopened package as if it held the answer to all of life's mysteries. His brow furrowed. "What's that?" he asked.

"Package from Gran." He replied, "Courtesy of the Bringer of Many Surprises and Revelations."

Quickly, Jason ran through all of the nicknames he remembered Spinelli using. That was definitely not one of them. "The who?" he asked finally.

Spinelli met his gaze, and Jason saw the painfully familiar look of loss. He was thinking about Georgie. Again.

"The UPS guy," he explained after awhile. He heaved a small sigh. "It's the twenty-second," he said emptily.

"I know."

"Only three days till Christmas."

Jason stayed silent for a moment. "Scary, isn't it? How quickly time passes when you've lost a loved one." Spinelli nodded mutely, his usual exuberance all but gone. Georgie's death seemed to have burned it out of him. Jason would have given anything at this point it get that haunted look out of his roommate's eyes.

With a small sigh, he asked, "Well, are you gonna open it?" Spinelli frowned at the box, curiosity shining in his eyes. Finally, he carefully opened the mysterious box. Inside were twenty smaller jewelry boxes numbered from '87 to '07 and a letter.

Spinelli took the letter and read it out loud. "Dearest Damian, I know it's not much of a Christmas present, but I figured you would want them now that you've moved to Port Charles. Come visit me anytime. Love and kisses, Gran." He slowly took the first box out, mumbling "She_didn't_..." Jason, despite himself, sat down next to him on the couch, also curious.

As Spinelli opened the tiny box, Jason saw his whole body freeze, his eyes bugging out in shock. In the box was a Christmas ornament. It was a little teddy bear in a Santa hat holding the shape of Tennessee. Written on it were the carefully printed words "My first Christmas," and underneath in spidery handwriting that could've only belonged to his Gran, "Damian Spinelli, 1987."

"My Christmas ornaments," he gasped, blinking back tears. "Every year, Gran made one for me." He looked down at the boxes again, then his shaking hand shot out and picked the one labeled '91. Inside was the figure of his Gran's house, with a little sleigh and nine reindeer, each one with one letter of his name and the year. A big "Welcome Home" banner went across the front door, and the whole thing was covered in snow-like glitter.

"That was the year I moved in with my Gran after Mom left." He explained, a tiny grin breaking through his usual melancholy. He opened another one, this time the tiny '02. "And this-this... this was my first year in the marching band." Jason looked at the miniature kid in a band uniform, with long messy black hair carrying a...

"You played the saxophone?" he blurted out, blinking in surprise. Spinelli gave him a strange look.

"Of course, Stone Cold. What other instrument is there?" he asked with a small nervous laugh. Without waiting for a reply, he went for another box, explaining its story to his mentor. As each box was opened, a tiny grin flitted across his face and his eyes sparkled, as if he were being reunited with a long-lost friend. Finally, only one remained unopened. It was the one marked '07. This year's ornament.

When Spinelli hesitated, Jason took the box and opened it for him. Inside was a tiny laptop, the screen up and showing words "Merry Christmas" in sparkling green and red letters. Jason handed it wordlessly to Spinelli. A single tear streaked down Spinelli's face.

"Thanks, Gran," he whispered, a small subdued smile on his face. Silently, Jason repeated the sentiment, glad that someone had managed to make Spinelli smile.

A/n: Yeah, I know it's short. And pointless. And extremely late. But I wrote this on the twenty-second and forgot about it, so I just wanted to post it. Oh, and to explain the saxophone... When you're in band long enough, you get the uncanny ability to know exactly what a person would play if they were in band. Or at least I did. Jason would play percussion. Sonny would probably be a trumpet. Spinelli would play saxophone. Either that or last chair trumpet. :) lol Elizabeth practically screams 'flute player' and Sam... I want to say either percussion or trombone. Or trumpet. Everyone can play trumpet. ;)


End file.
